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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23321401">14 minutes in heaven (and a lifetime or two back on earth.)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/twiceinamillion/pseuds/twiceinamillion'>twiceinamillion</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red Velvet (K-pop Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>"this girl's gonna date someone !!", (bc there's gonna be a side story about it ;)), (is this counted as crack?), Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, But It's Not Really Mentioned, Crack, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Pining, Side Seulrene, Sleepovers, because LOCKDOWNS, but hey, i sure hope so, more crack energy, not really teenager energy, sorry if you wanted a yeri ship i guess... :/, wendy is a panicked gay, wenjoy - Freeform, yeri has too much... teenager?? energy??? for me to look at her and think</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:00:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23321401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/twiceinamillion/pseuds/twiceinamillion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>maybe wendy needs to stop screwing things up.</p><p>(especially her love life.)</p><p>but no matter what, she can’t help but get flustered around…</p><p> </p><p>her.</p><p> </p><p>(aka "listen, when they said 'come outta the closet' i didn’t expect it to be in this way.")</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Minor or Background Relationship(s), Park Sooyoung | Joy/Son Seungwan | Wendy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>122</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. didn't expect to see you here.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>yeri gives off so much crack energy so i made her the "designated single friend"</p><p>woohoo i am OFF my mini-hiatus (kind of?)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>wendy strolls into her room, letting out a yawn.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>…sure am tired. wow.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>arms outstretched, she flops onto her bed, her coffee-brown bangs falling over her closed eyes, and she’s just about to grab her pillow and go to sleep-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>when a buzz comes from her phone.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy’s eyes open slightly.</p><p>
  <em>damn.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>with a slight eyebrow raise, she picks it up, seeing that it’s a notification from…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>yeri?</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>yo</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>dude i was just about to go to sleep</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>too bad</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:)<br/>
</strong>dude,,,,,,,,,, &gt;:(<br/>
hhhgh anyways. what do you want</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>lol i’m havin a sleepover<br/>
tomorrow night<br/>
its 3 days 2 nights<br/>
wanna come?</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>lmao sure<br/>
whos gonna be there tho</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>a bunch of people<br/>
from our class</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>????our class????</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>yeah<br/>
they stay around here, figured i’d invite them too</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>okay,,,, who tho</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>just seulgi and like,, 2 other people ?? yeah</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>oh cool<br/>
sounds good :))))<br/>
see u tmr then ?</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>yea meet me at like 7 or smth<br/>
seeya :D</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>…dude<br/>
i just realised<br/>
when did you set <em>your</em> contact<br/>
on <em>my phone<br/>
</em>as “best girl &lt;3” ???????</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>;)<br/>
that’s for me to know</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>and for me to find out?</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3:<br/>
</strong>no<br/>
for you to never find out<br/>
&gt;;)</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>bitch<br/>
i’m changing it back</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3<br/>
</strong>waitwaitwait<br/>
don’t</p><p>
  <em>best girl is typing...</em>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:)<br/>
</strong>...what r u trying to do now…</p><p> </p><p><strong>best girl &lt;3<br/>
</strong>yeah uh,, i just realised i’m texting<br/>
and i can’t send puppy eyes over text.</p><p> </p><p><strong>seungwannie &gt;:):<br/>
</strong>hah<br/>
too late anyways &gt;:)</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/>
</strong>fuck</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>with a smile, wendy turns off her phone and places it on her bedside, resting her head on her pillow once again.</p><p>and that night, she somehow manages to sleep, despite the constant vibrations of the younger girl texting her to change her contact name back.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>goddamnit seungwan:<br/>
</strong>yo i’m at the door</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/>
</strong>cool<br/>
is my contact name back to yerim yet<br/>
or… best girl? ;)</p><p> </p><p><strong>goddamnit seungwan:<br/>
</strong>no</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/>
</strong>well fuck</p><p> </p><p><strong>goddamnit seungwan:<br/>
</strong>as you said: too bad<br/>
now let me in<br/>
or i won’t change it back for another week</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/>
</strong>…petty<br/>
hhgjkhgkjfhkjk fine</p><p> </p><p><strong>goddamnit seungwan:</strong><br/>
first of all, no u<br/>
second of all-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy doesn’t get to finish that text.</p><p> </p><p>she looks up from her phone as she hears the sounds of a key turn in a lock in front of her, and the younger girl opens the door with a “yo”.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“hey,” she grins, taking off her shoes and stepping in like it’s her own house – and maybe it is, since she’s been there so many times. “who’s here already?”</p><p> </p><p>“oh,” yeri looks up slightly, as if thinking. “there’s seulgi…”</p><p>she counts on her fingers (even though she doesn’t need to, technically.)</p><p> </p><p><em>dramatic,</em> wendy thinks to herself.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“and there’s irene, and then there’s…”</p><p> </p><p>a hint of a smirk surfaces on the younger girl’s face.</p><p> </p><p>“joy.”</p><p> </p><p>“in other words, you’re the last one.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“joy??”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy tries to keep up a calm façade, but her widened eyes betray her feelings <em>completely</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>i should’ve known she’d do this.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>inviting the girl who she <strong>knows</strong> is my crush to a sleepover? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>a sleepover with me? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>and not telling me too?</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>kim yerim…</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>you’re dead.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“let’s play seven minutes in heaven!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>another girl – irene – cocks her head slightly.</p><p> </p><p>“say what now?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the bear-like girl who posed the suggestion, seulgi, gestures to the closet in yeri’s room.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, we have a closet, so why not?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“you mean <em>i</em> have a closet.” yeri cuts in.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“close enough.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy sits with her legs pulled up to her chest, and as she follows the conversation, casually glancing at seulgi, she can’t help but notice as the older girl shoots the girl opposite her – irene – a slight glance.</p><p> </p><p>and though irene doesn’t notice seulgi’s slight look, that look in her direction brings wendy to the person right <em>next</em> to her.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>joy.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>her eyes flick upwards, glancing at the tall girl for just a second-</p><p> </p><p>then she notices the look yeri’s giving her.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy resists the urge to give the youngest girl a shove, pushing down the groan in her throat.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“anyways,” yeri says, her eyes twinkling with unknown intent as she reaches behind her to grab her waterbottle.</p><p>“we could play spin the bottle to decide who goes in.”</p><p> </p><p>“sure,” joy answers, with a (cute) shrug of her shoulders.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and wendy can’t help but think <em>the trap is set.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“here we go~”</p><p> </p><p>yeri expertly gives the bottle a spin, the translucent plastic twirling around, slowing slightly, and wendy hopes <em>please don’t let it land on me.</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(or joy, her mind chimes in.)</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the other girls let out squeals of excitement as the bottle slows to a stop, seemingly slowing down <em>just</em> as it reaches joy-</p><p> </p><p>and it points to irene.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>…good enough.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>the oldest girl shrugs, smiling, and yeri leans over to give the bottle another spin, her other hand pressing down on the floor beside the bottle as she leans forward.</p><p> </p><p>another twirl of the bottle, and wendy’s heart prays <em>not joy, not joy, not joy-</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>this time, it lands on seulgi.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy can’t help but notice as seulgi shoots yeri a knowing glance, the youngest girl grinning slightly with a little raise of her eyebrow.</p><p>and at the same time, she stretches out her hand and removes a piece of sticky tape from the floor, her movements so subtle that wendy wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been <em>casually watching her every move.</em></p><p> </p><p>but she doesn’t think much of it.</p><p> </p><p>(yet.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the two step into the closet, seulgi sporting a slight blush as she sits down.</p><p> </p><p>and yeri glances at the clock, then gets up with a slight bounce, shutting the closet doors with a singsong “byee!” and a <strong>bang</strong>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“…so!”</p><p> </p><p>the youngest girl plops down in the circle once again.</p><p> </p><p>“how have… things been?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i mean, we’re having an exam soon,” joy sighs, rolling her eyes. “so… not good.”</p><p> </p><p>“right.”</p><p>a sigh, from yeri.</p><p>“math is a pain.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy is <em>so</em> close to biting her lip. or leaving right then and there.</p><p> </p><p>because just the <em>thought </em>of being in the same room, let alone <em>confined</em> in as small a space as a<em> closet </em>with her crush, <em>joy, park sooyoung herself,</em> fills her with so much terror and yet so much…</p><p> </p><p>she won’t elaborate on that.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>all she knows is that she doesn’t <em>dare</em> to even look at the other girl.</p><p> </p><p>she doesn’t even want to <em>imagine</em> looking at her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>or her <em>lips</em>.</p><p> </p><p>(especially not those.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“hey wendy, how about you?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the older girl nearly jumps as joy – her <em>crush</em> – looks towards her expectantly, her heart pounding as she <em>panics</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>…what was the question again?</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“uh, i’ve- i’ve been doing fine,” she quickly answers, trying to ignore the fact that she’s stuttering, though she can’t ignore the blush on her face.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“oh.”</p><p>there’s a tinge of what wendy assumes is disappointment in joy’s voice, and fear flares up in her heart as her eyes flick downwards.</p><p>her feet suddenly seem <em>so </em>interesting. and the ground, too. ah, yes, the slightly woody pattern on the <em>artificial,</em> not-even-wood floor fits so well! and-</p><p> </p><p>“okay,” joy murmurs once again, and wendy suddenly feels the urge to look up at her.</p><p>(she assumes it’s a natural reaction, because, well, <em>normally people look at other people while they speak.)</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>don’t look at her,</em> her brain repeats over and over again.<em> don’t look at her don’t look at her don’t even try to look at her-</em></p><p> </p><p>wendy looks at joy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>it’s just a glance</em>, she protests, but of course she knows better than that.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>as their eyes meet for the first time that evening, she can feel her heart speeding up, getting faster and faster with each second that they hold eye contact.</p><p> </p><p>and joy’s eyes are so beautifully round (is she wearing makeup or does she always look this beautiful? wendy knows the answer to that), her dark silky hair falling over her shoulders as she turns, falling over that loose turtleneck sweater that, despite its thickness, fails as a barrier to her thoughts of-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“mmph!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy presses her lips shut, resisting the urge to clamp her hands over her mouth as blood rushes to her cheeks, turning them rose red and <em>ever so hot</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>just like-</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em>NOPE, </em>she screams internally as she glances away, the sight of her crush looking like <em>that</em>, with her oversized sweater and her contrasting short shorts (look at her adorable <em>sweater paws</em>, her brain screams at her, and 5 seconds later it starts screaming about her <em>thighs </em>instead - what is this duality???) stirring <em>something</em> in her chest, and she doesn’t like it.</p><p> </p><p>…okay, maybe she likes it a little bit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>denial is bad for you,</em> her brain sings to her.</p><p> </p><p>she tells it to shut up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the other 2 talk among themselves for a bit, and whenever wendy’s asked something she hastily provides a one or two-word answer, because she knows if she says anything more than that she’ll stutter, or slip up.</p><p>(then that’d be the end of her.)</p><p> </p><p>and it feels like an eternity, but finally yeri looks once again at the clock and decides that seven minutes in heaven (or seven minutes of <em>purgatory</em>, depending on the person we’re talking about here) have passed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy glances at the closet.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>lucky them, stuck in heaven while the rest of us burn in hell.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>i mean… not like it wasn’t gonna happen. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>i like girls, after all.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>she almost laughs out loud, before she realises that joy’s <em>right there.</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>…okay, yeah, bad idea.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“yo, guys,” yeri calls to the closet – or, well, the <em>girls</em> inside the closet. “time to get out.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and the two push open the doors, a rosy blush on the younger girl’s face.</p><p> </p><p>irene, on the other hand, is perfectly calm.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>i wonder what they talked about in there.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“so!” yeri watches the other 2 sit down, completing the circle once again. “we should play again!”</p><p> </p><p>“mmm… okay,” irene murmurs, agreeing this time, a tinge of red staining her pale cheeks.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>they play again, and the bottle lands on yeri, and after another spin it lands on-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>joy?</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“set a timer,” the youngest girl reminds the others as she and joy (<em>her crush!) </em>step into the closet together.</p><p> </p><p>and wendy feels the slightest pang of jealousy as she watches the door swing shut, shaking her head slightly to shoo the feeling away.</p><p> </p><p>then there’s a movement on her right, and she turns to see irene and seulgi shift closer so that they’re sitting right next to each other, the bear-like girl resting her head on irene’s shoulder, and that thought – no, that <em>spark</em> – is rekindled once again, transforming, growing into a <em>bonfire</em>.</p><p> </p><p><em>smother it,</em> her mind tells her.</p><p> </p><p>(she can’t.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>instead, she tries to make small talk with the other two girls – they’re classmates, after all – even though she hasn’t talked to them much.</p><p> </p><p><em>they seem nice</em>, she thinks. <em>just a bit quiet.</em></p><p>
  <em>strange. i thought they seemed a bit louder just now.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>wendy brushes away that thought.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and it feels like an eternity, with envy building up in her chest like water dripping into a bucket, the ripples from each drop disturbing her usually calm heart, and slowly (but surely, oh so surely) filling it up.</p><p> </p><p>but eventually, seulgi’s phone rings – the timer’s up – and joy and yeri push open the closet doors, the youngest girl wearing a little smirk as her eyes rest on wendy’s envious face.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“one more time,” she announces yet again.</p><p> </p><p>“and since wendy hasn’t gone yet… <em>she’ll</em> be going this time.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy’s eyes widen as she shoots a glare at yeri, whose lips curve into a calm smile, the younger girl blinking back at her with innocent <em>shining</em> eyes like <em>what did i do?</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(you know very well what you’re doing, wendy wants to say to her.)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>she can see, oh so well, that smirk hidden behind those innocent eyes, and if yeri could say anything to her at that moment she’d probably say “too bad”.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>damn it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>yeri sits down calmly, like that non-verbal exchange of glares (well, technically, the only one who’d glared was wendy) hadn’t happened, taking the bottle in her hand once again and giving it a spin on the ground as wendy’s heart <em>speeds up</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>kim yerim, you’re holding my god damn life in the balance here.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the bottle slows.</p><p> </p><p>wendy watches it as it spins, going <em>irene, seulgi, wendy, yeri, joy,</em> then once more, even slower this time.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>irene, seulgi, wendy, yeri, joy.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>irene, seulgi, wendy, yeri…</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the bottle stops<em>.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(so does wendy’s heart.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“again?”</p><p>“okay, i guess.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>of course, wendy’s mind hasn’t registered it yet.</p><p> </p><p>but finally, when she looks up, meeting the eyes of the person she’ll be locked in a <em>closet </em>with for 7 minutes, realisation <em>hits</em> her straight in the face.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>the bottle stopped on joy.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. so close (to running away)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>cue the gay panic</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“stop dazing, wendy…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>yeri pushes the older girl towards the closet, wendy’s face growing red yet again as she stumbles (and almost falls) towards the soon-to-be shut doors.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“i- stop pushing me- i’ll- i’ll go myself!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>it’s not like she has a choice.</p>
<p>if she doesn’t go, she’ll embarrass herself <em>yet again</em> in front of joy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>wendy bends down as she steps in, sitting down in the wooden closet, the taller girl (and also her crush) stepping in after her.</p>
<p>as she does, the older girl just happens to glance at the bottle, left in the middle of the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>and she can’t help but notice something.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>right next to it, the exact same piece of sticky tape from earlier is stuck on the floor yet again, <em>right</em> in front of where joy was sitting earlier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>realisation hits, for the second time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and wendy’s eyes widen once again as she kneels forward, trying to stand up as she opens her mouth to protest, a tirade of panicked curses (all aimed at the youngest girl) flooding her mind-</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>then the doors close in her face, and she’s plunged into darkness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“yeri… oh my god…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>wendy sits back down, her legs pulled up in front of her as she huddles in the closet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>she rests her hands on her knees, leaning forward slightly with a sigh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>just wait till i get out… i’ll fucking gut her. like i know she’s like all prank-y and all, but seriously, sometimes she takes it too far. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>how? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>oh, you know, the usual, like <strong>literally locking me in a closet with the girl I like just to get us to confess.</strong></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>(what are you, mabel pines??)</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>she takes in a breath, letting it out slowly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>…god, yeri, what in the-</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“uh…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“are you okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and wendy <em>jolts</em>, so lost in her thoughts that she’d forgotten she wasn’t alone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>her head snaps up-</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and then she realises she’s staring right at joy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>fuck.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“uhm-” she stutters, praying that it’s dark enough for the other girl <em>not</em> to see her rapidly reddening face. “sorry…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>her words trail off, disappearing, fading into the dark.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“it’s alright,” joy replies, subconsciously reaching out a hand for reassurance, even if they can’t see each other.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>and exactly because of that, her fingertips happen to slightly brush against wendy’s arm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>it’s an unintentional touch, yet so <em>soft</em>, like a firefly that lands on your hand, lighting up the night, a beacon of light and beauty in empty darkness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>and yet that same soft touch is so much more, that skin-to-skin contact like a bolt of lightning – it’s a comforting light in the dark and yet so <em>electrifying, so dangerous</em>, and wendy can feel her heart race just from that <em>feeling.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>she nearly jumps back, her body growing warm as joy quickly pulls back, another apology slipping from the taller girl’s lips, and wendy forces herself to <em>sit the hell down</em>, her heart pounding as she does.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>it’s so dark.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>wendy can barely see her knees in front of her, and there’s only a sliver of light from the gap between the closet doors, creating a thin line of golden yellow on the wooden wall beside her, and she knows that if she stretched her hand out,<em> just a little bit</em>, she’d be able to touch- no, to <em>see</em> that light.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>she wouldn’t do that.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>there’s silence in the air, and it’s almost tangible, as if there’s <em>something there</em> that’s blocking out all the noise, because normally this amount of silence shouldn’t be possible.</p>
<p>but it is.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>the only thing wendy can hear are slight bits of conversation from outside, and even then the only words she can actually make out are still muffled “i”s and “you”s.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>then joy breaks the silence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(or at least, she tries to.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“uh, so…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>the older girl pauses, unsure of what to say.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“are you close with yerim?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ah-” wendy hesitates, suddenly knocked out of her daze. “yeah. k-kind of.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“did you guys only get to know each other when you were both placed in our class or…?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…no.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>wendy’s responses are far too short, she knows.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>but what can she do?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>she knows, if she says anything more she’ll screw up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(somehow.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>so she keeps her responses short.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>even if they are far from sweet.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…what do you think of her?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>joy tries again, leaning forward slightly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“uh…” wendy hesitates yet again, thinking.</p>
<p>“she’s… okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>that’s the only answer she can come up with that doesn’t betray the fact that yeri’s literally trying to <em>set her up</em> with the taller girl.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>it’s like she’s constantly on crack</em>, she wants to say, but that would probably leave a bad impression on joy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>then again. they are classmates, after all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ah.” joy leans forward, resting her body on her knees, and her long wavy hair slips out from behind her shoulders, swinging forward slightly to border her legs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and wendy’s cheeks glow so scarlet that they could light up the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>with a bite of her bottom lip, she shrinks back slightly, pulling her legs closer to her chest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>please don’t let joy notice.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(she does.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>there’s a long pause.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>…and cue the awkward silence</em>, wendy can’t help but think to herself, leaning against the closet door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>again.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>it’s true – the silence is empty and yet so <em>crushing,</em> as if it’s forcing the two apart, pushing them to the opposite sides of the closet, like gravity suddenly decided it didn’t want to work properly today.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>then, there’s a faint ringing sound from outside.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“what’s that?” joy murmurs, leaning forward to see through the gap between the doors-</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and suddenly gravity works properly again, as <em>yeri pulls open the door that wendy’s been leaning against.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>the older girl lets out a panicked yelp as she nearly falls out of the closet, earning a held-back laugh from the youngest girl (and concerned murmurs from the others) as she attempts to regain her balance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“uh… are you okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>joy pushes open the other door as she steps out, kneeling down to offer wendy a hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“do you, uh… need me to…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>her voice trails off, the taller girl’s face blooming with a tinge of red on her pale cheeks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>it’s probably because of second-hand embarrassment.</em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>speaking of which, we should probably take care of the <strong>first</strong>-hand embarrassment-</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“n-no, i’m… i’m good! i’m good.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>wendy quickly waves joy’s hand away, standing up abruptly like nothing’s wrong and trying to ignore her crimson cheeks as she brushes the dust off her skirt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“an-anyways… we should probably stop playing, it’s getting late.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and yeri shrugs, her work here done.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“sure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>wendy lies in her sleeping bag, staring at the ceiling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>raising her hand slightly, she glances at her watch for the millionth time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>it’s 3am.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>she can’t sleep. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(granted, they went to sleep at 2. but still.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>with a little sigh, she shifts around awkwardly, turning on her side, the fabric rustling as she moves, pulling her legs up to her chest yet again, resting one hand under her face as a makeshift pillow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>please,</em> she groans to herself internally.<em> just go to sleep already…</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>and wendy closes her eyes, pressing them firmly shut as she buries her face in her knees.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>then an itch surfaces in her waist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“agh- it’s hopeless.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>wendy lets out another sigh (a longer one, this time) as she rolls over and sits up, scratching mildly at her side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>when the itch has been sated she leans forward, rubbing at her eyes, struggling to keep them open.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(ironically enough, she also struggles to keep them shut whenever she lies back down.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>a glance to her left, and she’s sure the others don’t have the same problem whatsoever.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>yeri’s completely knocked out, lying face down in her sleeping bag.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>irene’s lying on her left, her body slightly curled up and her face tilting slightly towards the floor (and the fabric of her sleeping bag).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>seulgi’s bangs have fallen over her eyes as she lies on her side.</p>
<p><em>as they always do,</em> wendy can’t help but think to herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and joy…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>joy’s lying face-up, her eyes closed, her hair strewn all around her head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>like a halo,</em> wendy’s mind whispers to her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(she shakes the thought away.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“just gotta get through two more days,” she murmurs. “that’s it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“two more days.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>with one last longing gaze at the taller girl, wendy turns away, lying back down in her sleeping bag.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>and her eyes fall shut.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>at this point? i am running on nothing but my own tears.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. fight fire with fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>this chapter is less gay panic and more overall panic. it's dramatic as hell and i blame the phantom of the opera because i was watching it while writing the angsty parts of this fic.</p><p>but it's cool they work it out so yay!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>after their dinner on the second day, the girls all crowd into yeri’s room once again, the youngest girl essentially pouncing on the only beanbag chair in the room.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“hey,” joy whines. “i wanted that!”</p><p> </p><p>and wendy’s heart can’t help but <em>pound.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>yeri, on the other hand, shrugs, her expression nonchalant.</p><p> </p><p>“later.”</p><p> </p><p>she waves joy off with a flick of her hand, with a tone reminiscent of a parent’s – <em>and</em> <em>no</em>, wendy thinks, <em>it’s not because she’s motherly, it’s because their “later”s always mean never.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“anyways!” the youngest girl relaxes into the soft chair with no regrets. “what should we do now?”</p><p> </p><p>“nothing too active, i hope,” irene reminds the group. “we just had dinner.”</p><p> </p><p>“okay, <em>mum</em>.” yeri drawls back with a roll of her eyes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“how about seven minutes in heaven?”</p><p> </p><p>seulgi pipes up from where she’s sitting on the floor.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>irene cocks her head. “i mean, that sounds fine-“</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“but didn’t we do that already?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>at the mention of the game, joy’s face takes on an unreadable (and ever so scary) look, and when she speaks her words are tinged with <em>ice</em>.</p><p> </p><p>and wendy instantly feels <em>fear</em> brewing inside her chest.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“hey, majority wins.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>yeri seemingly doesn’t notice the slight hostility in the air as she shrugs, reaching behind to take her bottle without even leaving the beanbag.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>lazy.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>wait a second.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>wendy’s brain stops her, and she freezes.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>if we’re playing seven minutes in heaven again, then…</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>fuck.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>wendy nearly lets out a sigh, before realising that she’s in the company of 4 other people.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>then again, majority still wins.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>damn.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>yeri, don’t you <strong>dare</strong>.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>finally getting up from her beanbag, the youngest girl plops down opposite wendy with a smile on her face.</p><p>irene shifts forward so that she’s to her left, and seulgi immediately stands up, slotting herself in between the oldest girl and yeri.</p><p> </p><p>being the last to pick a spot, joy’s left with the area in between yeri and wendy.</p><p> </p><p>she crosses her legs as she sits down, drawing dangerously close to the older girl.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and wendy holds in a tiny scream.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“okay!” yeri grabs her bottle once again, setting it down in the middle of the circle.</p><p> </p><p>deftly, she gives it a spin.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>it probably won’t land on me and joy again, right? </em>wendy can’t help but think to herself.</p><p><em>like… what are the odds of us getting the same person twice? in fact, what are the odds of us getting the same <strong>pairing</strong></em> <em>twice?</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>(at the moment, she’s too lazy to calculate that, but she doesn’t really care about the answer – all she knows and cares about is that the chances are small. <em>really </em>small.)</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(hopefully.)</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>lost in her thoughts, wendy only realises she’s staring into space when irene taps her on the shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“hey, you okay there?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“ah-”</p><p>she jolts back to reality.</p><p> </p><p>“no, no, i’m okay.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“oh, good.” irene lets out a sigh of relief.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“because you’re up next.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>a “huh?!” of panic slips from wendy’s lips before she can hold it back, and she immediately curses herself for the slip-up.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>fuck.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>maybe she should have calculated those odds.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“with me,” irene continues, and wendy’s heart calms down, settling in her chest as she glances to the bottle and finds it pointing to the older girl.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>okay. maybe that’s better.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>but that doesn’t mean it’s not gonna be kind of uncomfortable.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“ah, okay,” she shrugs, getting up and stepping past the others as she opens the closet doors, stepping in and sitting down for the second time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the last thing she sees is joy’s gaze lingering in her direction.</p><p> </p><p>then irene pulls the doors shut and the closet goes dark.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the two stay silent for a while.</p><p> </p><p>irene’s face holds no expression whatsoever as wendy attempts to listen to the other girls’ conversations through the door, but she can’t hear anything.</p><p> </p><p>or maybe they’re too soft.</p><p> </p><p>who knows?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>instead, they make small talk to break the silence, and wendy can’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable.</p><p> </p><p><em>at least you’re not embarrassing yourself in front of joy again, </em>her brain reminds her. <em>be grateful.</em></p><p> </p><p>they end up talking about their coming exams.</p><p>(not the most encouraging thing, but at least they could both rant about their schoolwork.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>when they get out, they take their seats yet again, and yeri spins the bottle once again with a flick of her wrist.</p><p> </p><p>irene adjusts her hoodie around her neck as the bottle spins, and wendy can’t help but notice as seulgi subtly shifts closer to the older girl.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>she can’t help but smile.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>they’d look cute together,</em> her brain adds, and she quickly shooes away that thought.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>i’m not shipping my friends like they’re some character in a storybook!</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“huh. again?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>to her right, joy shrugs, and it’s only then that wendy notices that she’s zoned out again.</p><p> </p><p>and that the taller girl’s up next.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>wait.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>if joy’s going next-</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>knowing yeri, i’d probably be going… too…</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>oh.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>she finally realises what that means.</p><p>
  
</p><p>and panic floods her body in less than a second.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>shit.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>maybe i could tell them that i need the bathroom? i mean, they’d probably believe that. but it’s a bit too coincidental, isn’t it? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>she hesitates.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>yeah, maybe i shouldn’t do that… </em>
</p><p>
  <em>but then what the hell am i supposed to do-</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“wendy?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>she looks up.</p><p> </p><p>and the bottle’s pointing straight at her.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>fuck.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>it’s almost funny, as her face flashes through the (poorly masked) 5 stages of grief all at once, until it finally lands on reluctant acceptance.</p><p> </p><p>(just like how the bottle landed on her.)</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>god damn, she <strong>really</strong> should’ve calculated those odds.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>as she sits down in the tiny closet yet again, watching joy step in, she can’t help but see the younger girl’s eyes change ever so slightly, a cold expression fading to slight reluctance.</p><p> </p><p>then the door slams shut and the light fades out.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and she can’t see anything at all.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>they sit in silence, and wendy <em>swears</em> that she can feel the air turning cold as joy’s gaze locks on to her, the slam of the door earlier only reinforcing the younger girl’s icy barrier.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>it’s like the spines on a porcupine.</p><p> </p><p>except the spines are all replaced with icicles, and they’re radiating a freezing cold that claws its way into her bones, into her heart.</p><p> </p><p>basically, it gives off a feeling that says “if you come closer you <em>will</em> die”.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and let’s be honest here.</p><p> </p><p>wendy’s <em>terrified.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>her mind’s running in circles and panicking, screaming <em>oh my god what did i do wrong, did i seem too unhappy with her yesterday, was my gay panic too obvious??</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>does she…</em>
</p><p> </p><p>wendy hesitates, as the thought pops into her mind.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“…do you hate me?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>a falter.</p><p> </p><p>and the freezing cold disappears for a moment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>then a cold laugh from the other girl, and it’s back in full force, wendy’s face growing warm in embarrassment and <em>fear</em> as every other part of her body freezes up, the ice that permeates the room once again chilling her veins.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i thought <em>you</em> were the one who hated me, <em>wendy</em>.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and terror shoots through the girl in question as joy <em>spits</em> her name out like it’s laced with poison.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“m-me? hating… you?”</p><p> </p><p>wendy’s voice, filled with so much disbelief and fear, seems so small of a sudden, as she stares like a deer caught in headlights at the taller girl. (or rather, her general direction, because she can barely see her.)</p><p> </p><p>and even though their height difference isn’t even that much, she feels as if joy’s towering over her, like her (beautiful) eyes are glaring beams of ice into her heart, into her soul.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>so enticing, and yet so deadly.</p><p> </p><p>she doesn’t know to be mesmerised or terrified.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(then she’s hit once again with the fact that <em>joy thinks she hates her, </em>and suddenly the latter seems like a much more sensible option.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“don’t fake it.”</p><p> </p><p>joy’s eyes bore a hole into wendy’s soul.</p><p> </p><p>“did you <em>see</em> yourself yesterday?”</p><p> </p><p>“did you see-” the younger girl’s voice breaks for a second, and she quickly pulls herself together- “did you see the <em>reluctance</em> on your face when my name came up?”</p><p> </p><p>“did you see how uncomfortable you were, when i came into the room?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“and now, you- you ask me if i <em>hate</em> you?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy opens her mouth to try to protest, but joy shuts her down.</p><p> </p><p>“don’t even try to lie to me.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i know how you really feel.”</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>no-<br/>no, no, no, this is all a misunderstanding- just a misunderstanding!</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>the scenarios wendy’s dreamt up over countless sleepless nights burst into flames, crumbling to ashes in her mind.</p><p> </p><p>gone are the fantasies of confessions under cherry trees like a scene from a movie, or of warm hands finding each other in a cold night – all replaced by <em>fire</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>she can hear her heart pounding in her chest, the blaze drawing dangerously close, threatening to burn it down.</p><p> </p><p>each heartbeat is a cry of regret, and at the same time a reminder of how much everything went wrong.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>maybe, if things had gone differently, her heart might have been pounding for reasons far from this.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“…no.”</p><p> </p><p>her voice breaks as she whispers, a broken cry of regret.</p><p> </p><p>and yet at the same time, it’s a spark of defiance against the blazing inferno.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>they said “fight fire with fire”.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>now i’m gonna do just that.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“no,” she murmurs out once again, a lone stand against the overwhelming darkness that’s threatening to consume the last light of passion in her.</p><p> </p><p>“that’s- that’s not how i really feel.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“then?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>there’s a quiver in joy’s voice to match wendy’s.</p><p> </p><p>and yet again, the older girl realises what she’s just done.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>you’ve backed yourself into a corner.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>either you say nothing, and she hates you…</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>or you <strong>confess</strong>.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy hesitates.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and she takes in a breath.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i- i like you.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“sooyoung, i’ve…”</p><p> </p><p>“i’ve had a crush on you for- for a while now.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the darkness retreats slightly, as the spark in her heart grows into a steady flame.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i didn’t know you’d be here, and- and i didn’t want you to find out, because it would’ve gotten, um, really awkward-“</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>a rose-red blush blooms on her face, and the flame grows bolder, stronger, the blinding darkness fading away.</p><p> </p><p>“so i- i didn’t want to get close to you because it’d just be… <em>really</em> obvious, and- and here we are, so i guess… i guess that was right?”</p><p> </p><p>she lets out a slight chuckle tinged with regret, glancing downwards awkwardly, unable to meet the younger girl’s gaze.</p><p> </p><p>“but that was kind of dumb, since… well, we’re here, aren’t we?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the blazing darkness is almost gone now, banished by the fire in her heart, and wendy gives joy a slight smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“i’m sorry i made you think i hated you.”</p><p> </p><p>“i just thought that… if i confessed… you’d just say no.”</p><p> </p><p>“because… well, i know you don’t-”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“wait.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy’s voice falters as joy reaches out a hand to stop her, the light from the crack between the doors illuminating the younger girl’s palm.</p><p> </p><p>and the younger girl’s voice is soft, her defensive tone fading, the icy spikes she’s put up melting under comforting flame.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i- i just thought you should know,” joy murmurs.</p><p> </p><p>“that i…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i like you too.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“what?”</p><p> </p><p>wendy didn’t think it was possible before, but her face somehow grows even warmer, like her entire body’s about to combust.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>i’m not hearing things, right?</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i… i like you too.” joy says again, and those 4 words hang in the air, like a lingering speech bubble above the two of them.</p><p> </p><p>and wendy’s almost unable to believe her, but then the taller girl shifts forward, moving ever closer, the thin sliver of light moving up her legs as she does, until it finally shines on her <em>perfect</em> face.</p><p> </p><p>as she gazes into the younger girl’s soft eyes shimmering in the light, wendy can’t help but know that <em>she’s not lying</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>so her eyes close as she leans in as well.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>two hands find each other in the dark.</p><p> </p><p>and two faces draw closer, the distance between them closing, until-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>blinding light assaults their eyes, and the two quickly break away as yeri pulls the closet doors open, seulgi’s phone still ringing in the background as the 7-minute timer goes off.</p><p> </p><p>“you guys look suspicious.” the youngest girl raises an eyebrow. “what the hell happened in there?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and wendy and joy look at each other awkwardly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“uh…"</p><p>"nothing much.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>save me. i made a 3 chapter fic into a 5 chapter fic bc this chapter was getting too long and i also wanted an epilogue. can we get a f in the chat</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. sinking in your ocean eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the (incredibly fluffy) continuation to the previous chapter ^w^</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>yeri and seulgi go next.</p><p> </p><p>after they’ve gotten into the closet, irene sets the timer, and the other three chat for a while, mostly about school.</p><p> </p><p>they end up bashing their teachers.</p><p> </p><p>to be honest?</p><p>wendy finds it kind of therapeutic.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>after a while, the oldest girl interrupts the conversation with a “um… guys?”, and the other two turn to look at her, joy cocking her head slightly in an almost birdlike fashion, and wendy can’t help but think that <em>she’s so cute.</em></p><p> </p><p>“could you help me hold my stuff for a second?” irene asks (now that she’s gotten their attention), offering her phone to the two of them.</p><p>“i kind of need the bathroom.”</p><p> </p><p>“yeah, sure,” joy shrugs, accepting irene’s phone and putting it down beside her.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“cool, thanks.”</p><p> </p><p>the shorter girl stands up, brushing off her jeans as she walks out.</p><p> </p><p>the door shuts after her with a <em>click</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and awkward silence lingers in the air.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(it’s almost suffocating.)</p><p> </p><p>wendy fidgets with her thumbs as the tension in the room grows.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“so,” joy murmurs, quickly dismissing the quietness as she looks at wendy.</p><p> </p><p>“since we were…” she glances at the closet, then back to the other girl. “since we were cut off, just now…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“do you want to…?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>wendy almost lets out a laugh.</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>you have no idea how long i’ve wanted that,</em> she thinks to herself, but all that shows is a glowing blush on her cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>“i…” she begins, glancing at joy.</p><p> </p><p>but then she hesitates, the sight of the other girl making her too shy to continue her sentence, her face getting warmer by the second.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>two hearts pound in unison.</p><p> </p><p>and wendy stares at the ground, unable to look up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>say it.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>“i…”</p><p> </p><p>“s-sure…!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(she doesn’t know why her response is so… quiet.)</p><p> </p><p>and it’s barely a whisper – almost too soft to be heard, but joy hears it nonetheless.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>a pause.</p><p> </p><p>“…you do realise you have to look at me if we want to kiss, right?”</p><p> </p><p>the younger girl teases shyly, a soft laugh escaping from her lips as she talks, and wendy’s cheeks bloom crimson once again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“oh, uh, right…”</p><p> </p><p>still too shy to look directly at joy, she tilts her head up slightly, eyes still looking at the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“sorry.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“hmm.”</p><p> </p><p>the taller girl tilts her head slightly to the side and purses her lips, as if assessing her.</p><p> </p><p>“close…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“but not quite.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>in the corner of her eye, joy reaches over, and wendy looks up-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>fingers graze the contours of her face, the touch soft and light, and then a palm cups her cheek tenderly, tilting her face upwards so that their eyes <em>meet</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and it’s <em>electrifying</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>joy’s eyes are so <em>alluring, </em>like twin oceans – beautifully dark and ever so deep, and they’re pulling wendy in, pulling her <em>deeper</em>.</p><p> </p><p>it feels like she’s immersed in those waters, drawn in by those <em>velvety</em> eyes, and she can’t help but gaze into them, her anxiety melting away as she <em>melts</em> to joy’s whims.</p><p> </p><p>and even as her worries melt away her body freezes, her mind <em>mesmerised</em>, and it feels like she’s turned to solid rock, as if those ocean eyes she’s sinking into are medusa’s very own.</p><p> </p><p>(and she knows, even if they were, she’d still be here, gazing into them.)</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(she’d gaze into those eyes for eternity.)</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>her lips part slightly in shock, the only sensations she can feel in her body the in and out of her breath and the rhythmic thumping of her heart in her chest, reminding her that <em>somehow, she’s still alive.</em></p><p> </p><p>then the taller girl leans in, closing the gap, and one extra sensation is added to the mix.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>the sensation of joy’s lips on hers.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>all she can do is blink, and despite her whisper of agreement earlier she’s <em>stunned speechless</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>those lips on hers are soft, like cotton candy, and just like cotton candy wendy <em>melts</em> into the kiss, unable to help as her cheeks grow hot under joy’s gentle hand.</p><p> </p><p>her open eyes watch as joy’s fall shut, the younger girl savouring the feeling, savouring the moment.</p><p> </p><p>all she can think is <em>i love this.</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>and <em>i love you.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>then joy pulls away, her eyes fluttering open, sparkling, like a sunset reflecting on a vast morning sea.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>she’s beautiful.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>and though she loved the kiss (and she loves joy too) a slight tinge of regret surfaces in wendy’s heart, her mind’s whispers of <em>more</em> stealing her attention.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“i-” the younger girl breathes, and it’s all she can get out before wendy grabs her by her shoulders and pulls her in and their lips meet once again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>this time, their kiss is more passionate, and it’s like she’s been wandering in a desert for who knows how long and joy’s lips are the ocean itself.</p><p> </p><p>so wendy sinks into those lips, submerging herself in the sea that is <em>park sooyoung</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and as joy’s hands find her waist, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss, wendy can’t help but sink into the taller girl, her heart flooding with <em>love</em>, with all the water from joy’s infinite ocean eyes.</p><p> </p><p>she <em>loves it.</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>she loves it all.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>when they finally pull apart, joy exhales, her eyes shining like the sun, and her hand pulls back from wendy’s cheek to brush her wavy hair away from her face.</p><p> </p><p>“that was… was…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“beautiful,” wendy finishes, beaming, her cheeks rosy red.</p><p> </p><p>“but not as beautiful as you.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and it’s joy’s turn to blush this time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“that’s so- so overused…”</p><p> </p><p>the younger girl, flustered, attempts to find a good retort to fight the feeling off.</p><p>
  
</p><p>it doesn’t work that well.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>it’s still cute, though.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>“eh, it doesn’t really matter,” wendy replies, shrugging.</p><p> </p><p>(she can feel her worries and awkwardness dissipating into the air.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“so…”</p><p> </p><p>she raises her eyebrows, flashing joy a slight grin.</p><p> </p><p>“since irene still isn’t back…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“wanna do that again?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>joy’s ocean eyes sparkle in the light as she smiles.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>(and wendy loves it when joy smiles.)</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“sure.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>so that's the main stuff over !! an epilogue will be coming soon !!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>goodbye fluff. crack is my new best friend</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>yo wendy<br/>so you actually got the girl?</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>yep<br/>thanks to you… i guess</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>damn. finally<br/>you took a long ass time, you know :/</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>ok very cool<br/>but at least i got tgt with her, yknow</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>dude,,, that’s all you did<br/>u didn’t even go any further<br/>don’t get cocky &gt;:(</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>…<br/>yeah. uh. about that.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>what<br/>…wait…<br/>don’t tell me…???</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>hehehehehehe<br/>yep ;)</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>holy shit.<br/>holy fucking shit</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>:))))))))))))</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>damnnnnnnnnnnnn<br/>son seungwan finally kissed a girl??<br/>:OOOOOO<br/>i never thought the day would come<br/>time to blast katy perry</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>i thought you liked ariana grande more?<br/>tho i kissed a girl is a wholeass BOP tho<br/>and also a mood now LMAO</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>tho i can’t believe??? you actually did that????<br/>wait hold on i’m not dreaming right</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>nah<br/>not as far as i know<br/>but what are you gonna do, pinch yourself?</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>yes, actually</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>what the heck</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>and i did it :D</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>
  <em>kim yerim what the heck </em>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>lmao yeah it hurt like hell<br/>so! it turns out i am NOT dreaming</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>hhhhhghjfh,,,,,,,<br/>do you <em>see </em>why i set your contact as “dumbass” now</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>wait.<br/>you haven’t changed it ???</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>why would i</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>i mean,,,, since i helped you with joy and all that,,,,,</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>the heck<br/>how unbelievably petty are you</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>i am incredibly petty and i embrace it<br/>anyways you owe me now, don’t deny it<br/>denial isn’t good for you, wendy<br/>now change my contact back</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>hhjgfhkgjhjkhdkj<br/>fine</p><p> </p><p><strong>dumbass:<br/></strong>cool what is it now</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>petty ;)</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>what the hell<br/>that isn’t much better ??!?!?!</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>hey you asked me to change it<br/>you didn’t say what i had to change it to ;)</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>well<br/>i’m sure i remember saying “change my contact <em>back</em>” somewhere up there<br/>like less than 10 messages ago</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>yeah ok but first of all, you didn’t say it, you texted it :P<br/>second of all, i’m sure i <em>also </em>remember you saying “i am incredibly petty and i embrace it”<br/>so embrace it &gt;:)</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>fuck you</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>fuck me yourself, coward<br/>no wait i have a gf now too bad</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>uh huh and who helped you get that gf<br/>yeah admit it, i’m your awesomest friend</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>…you do realise awesomest isn’t even a word</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>ok grammar nazi</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>first of all that’s vocabulary not grammar</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>
  <em>ok vocabulary nazi</em>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>it’s called proper english, yeri</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>hhgfjkh arent canadians were supposed to be nice</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>have you ever heard of stereotypes<br/>and technically i’m korean</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong> i thought you were lesbian</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>…yeri<br/>yeri that’s not how it’s supposed to go<br/>it’s supposed to be the other way round<br/>how do you not know this<br/>i thought you were the meme queen</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>just specifics<br/>have you ever heard of changing things around? :0</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong> :'( i have been betrayed</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>ah yes i forgot how melodramatic you are</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>yeah bc i got influenced by you<br/>you’re a bad influence, yeri</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>…slander. this is slander</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>aaand you're being melodramatic again </p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>  :( bitch</p><p> </p><p><strong>gay as all hell:<br/></strong>awwww ur so cutee :33333</p><p> </p><p><strong>petty ;):<br/></strong>…that’s not cute, wendy</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yes, of course i ended off with "thats not cute wendy". i had the chance and i took it babey</p><p>ngl? i kind of had lots of writer's block with this one<br/>i ended up deleting 500 words off the draft oops<br/>but hey! it ended up okay! (or did it...)</p><p>btw if you want to, do check out <a href="https://2wice-in-a-million.tumblr.com">my tumblr</a> !! i post more of my writing there :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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